Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Guest Writer: Employment Equality: 2014 Mental Health Symposium

Virtual Ability, Inc. welcomes guest blogger Nicole Matyas,
OTS, as she shares her thoughts about the session entitled “Employment Equality
Through Accommodation and Self-Advocacy,” presented by Teresa Goddard, Senior
Consultant with the Job Accommodation Network at West Virginia University,
during the 2014 Mental Health Symposium sponsored by Virtual Ability, Inc. in
Second Life®. Ms. Matyas (SL name nicki416) is a Thomas Jefferson University student in the
Department of Occupational Therapy. The
following represents Ms. Matyas’s opinions and insights and we appreciate her
sharing them.

This
lecture addressed how individuals with disabilities may successfully request
workplace changes and how, in response to said requests, employers may provide
effective accommodations for their employees.

The Job Accommodation Network (JAN)( www.askjan.org ) is a cost-free resource that
provides individuals with the aid they may need in addressing their
rights as employees as well as any questions they have pertaining to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards. The recurring theme evident throughout
this presentation was encouraging individuals with disabilities to advocate for
themselves in seeking out accommodations that would facilitate optimal
functioning in the workplace as well as obtaining equal access to the benefits
and privileges of employment.

Some
examples that were given as ways that employers may provide reasonable
accommodations to those employees that qualify include changing the physical
environment and modifying the way that things are typically done, resulting in
equal employment opportunities for all. Specifically, this may present as
modifying schedules, restricting standards of performance, or promoting
accessibility to various resources.

Though a large portion of this
process is dependent on the employer and his/her compliance with ADA standards,
it is equally the individual’s responsibility to self-advocate and refrain from
expecting their employer to merely “read their mind.” Rather, individuals must
be knowledgeable about their rights as a potential employee and be sure to sufficiently
provide their employers with what their specific limitations and needs are, and
how certain adaptations are necessary and will help them to be more productive
in the workplace. Something to consider
is to include the individual’s medical provider in the employee-employer
interaction in seeking accommodations, as a means of giving the employer a
better understanding of the underlying medical condition and what the rationale
is for certain limitations and problems.

Throughout the lecture, Teresa
Goddard provided real-life examples of past JAN cases, addressing steps for
requesting accommodations and even providing the audience with additional links
and articles, such as for helping patients with medical conditions write
effective accommodation request letters. Interestingly enough, Teresa Goddard
specifically mentioned the role of occupational therapists and other health
care professionals in helping to make work environments more conducive to
individuals’ performance by utilizing their familiarity with assistive
technology and thus making interactions with employers run more smoothly. This
portion of the lecture especially stood out to me in that I could relate to
understanding the skill set that occupational therapists bring to the table in
consulting with individuals with disabilities in seeking employment.

What many employers may fail to
recognize or tend to misconstrue is the cost of accommodations. In fact, more
often than not, it is more cost-efficient to provide employees with
disabilities with the accommodations they need, such as a communication device,
because it will result in a more productive work day, and ultimately benefit
the company as a whole. As Teresa Goddard claimed in her lecture, “The right
equipment can make all the difference!”

Another
example that Teresa Goddard provided was the role of ergonomics; that is,
adapting the physical environment in order to make it conducive to the
individual’s optimal functioning. It is important to note that ergonomic
adaptations are not associated with changing the individual’s behavior, but
rather, addressing barriers in the environment that may impede performance. These
could include addressing the needs of an employee with progressing arthritis, depression,
and fatigability, and modifying his/her workspace to allow for energy
conservation and increased productivity.

Lastly, Teresa Goddard emphasized
the importance of monitoring the implementation of any and all adaptations. It
is not sufficient to merely implement a change and move on. Rather, it is
important to continue to monitor the progress, development, and success of the
individual as a means of determining whether the adaptation was effective in
helping the individual to achieve their goals and improve their performance in
the workplace. This concept is similar to the notion of “client-centeredness,” a
primary goal and value for the profession of occupational therapy, in which the
individual needs, preferences, and concerns of each client as an individual
being should be recognized and considered before, during, and after
implementation of any interventions.

Conclusively, the ongoing theme
throughout this lecture was to ensure that the individual’s voice is being
heard, which is both the responsibility of the individual themselves as well as
their employer, and the need to be clear on limitations and needs, performance
standards and goals, and how reasonable accommodations will ultimately result
in success in the workplace. This session ended with an extensive “Q&A”
between Teresa Goddard and members of the audience pertaining to their own
personal experiences with employment. I found my attendance at this lecture to
be very valuable in that it allowed me to compare and apply my knowledge from
what I’ve learned thus far in my occupational therapy program to what
professionals and researchers as well as “real-life individuals” are dealing
with regarding this topic of interest. I hope that individuals continue to
advocate for themselves in this realm. The more widely recognized issues in the
workplace become, the more progress can be made, and the more equal opportunity
may be sought out for individuals with disabilities, who are just as deserving
of rights to employment as are individuals who do not have a disability.

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